


Wait, You're What?

by Milionking



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: 2019-2020 NHL Season, 5+1 Things, Demi!Tyson, Demisexuality, M/M, Mixed Media, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Post-Trade, mentions of quarantine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:22:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25944295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milionking/pseuds/Milionking
Summary: Tyson has been getting awefully close to Andre over the course of the season, even to the point of being golfing buddies.Andre is fresh off being burned by a teammate in Washington.  He feels there is more to his relationship than Tyson is leading on... what ends up being the result.
Relationships: Andre Burakovsky/Tyson Jost
Kudos: 20





	Wait, You're What?

**Author's Note:**

> Major thanks to LilPuff for the beta and some advice along with to-convey for bailing me out on the timeline of a demi developing feelings.
> 
> Basically Tyson won't develop sexual feelings for a person (gender neutral) unless he has a strong emotional bond with that person.
> 
> Written for the prompt:  
> “You’re a coward! You hide away this entirely different part to yourself all because you’re afraid that someone might get close to you! You’re afraid that someone might just care about you more than you think you deserve. That isn’t fair.”
> 
> Basically this is the 5 times Tyson tried to tell Andre he's interested and can't, plus the one time he does and almost fucks it up!

Andre arrives in Colorado a broken man. 

Sure he’d won the cup and it was a fantastic run in Washington. Jakub had been an awesome boyfriend, but it ended up being temporary, a summer fling. Andre was invested, Jakub was not. Andre was just a tool for Jakub to fall for Djoos. He never thought he’d ask to be traded to a different team.

He thought he had no hope to find the man of his dreams. That was until camp started and he walked into the gym where Tyson was going through his physical tests with the trainers.

The sight was something to behold. Tyson had strong rippling back muscles, thighs that Andre would love to be asphyxiated by, and a firm torso of abs and chest. Andre’s mouth is dry when one of the other trainers starts hooking up monitors to him.

**

The season starts normally. Training camp, team building, and nights at the bars with the boys. Andre actually feels at home here, long away from his disastrous relationship with Jakub.

One night he’s sitting next to Tyson in the bar with his teammates. The conversation flowed pretty easily as new teammates and rookies get to know each other. Favorite movies, games, and hobbies were shared around the table as ice breakers. Gabe is a good captain and knows full well how to build chemistry in the team.

After Gabe’s ice breakers, separate conversations start budding as teammates with common interests start conversing with each other. Tyson gets up and buys two girls a martini and brings back two bottles of beer.

Gabe protests first, “Come on Josty, if you buy for one you need to buy for the class.” The rest of the team joins in Gabe’s protest.

“Andre just traded into the team, and I bought him a drink to welcome him,” Tyson explains.

Andre smiles, “Thanks Josty. Why did you buy a drink for those girls and not talk to them?”

Tyson shrugs, “They were nice fans and I’m being nice back.”

Andre continues his interrogation, “Why didn’t you take one home?”

“They’re not my preferred type,” Tyson replies.

Andre doesn’t give it a second thought other than Josty is rather attractive.

Gabe slides in next to Andre, “Josty and I are going golfing in Vale Saturday. Do you want to join us?”

“I’d love to,” Andre replies with a smile.

**

A month into the season, the Avs take off for a road trip. The boys meet up after their victory against the Blackhawks in Chicago. Toews had told Gabe to take the team to the Pony Bar, a recommendation that Gabe accepted.

It was apparent from the moment that they walk in the bar that hockey players frequent the joint. Puck bunnies are floating around the bartender, hoping to snag a hockey player for the evening.

Andre slides in next to Tyson with a bottle of beer and comments, “Those girls are intense! They definitely don’t like to take no for an answer.”

Tyson gets up and buys all of them a drink without talking to a single one.

“Josty, you buy them all a drink and not take one to the hotel. Why?” Andre is curious.

Tyson returns fire, “You aren’t taking one. Why?”

“Do you want to get out of here and head back?” Andre questions back.

“Andre, what is this… Question period?”

“No, but I’m not explaining my situation in public,” Andre admits.

Tyson and Andre settle their tabs. As they walk through the cool fall winter air, it’s only a couple of blocks before Tyson ushers Andre through the door. As they wait for the elevator to arrive, “So why didn’t you take a girl Burky?”

Andre shrugs, “I’m gay. I’ve already told Gabe and he said the team would…”

“Andre,” Tyson interrupts, “It’s cool and I’m glad you told me.”

“So you won’t be shocked if there’s a guy standing in front of my hotel room when we get upstairs?” Andre poses.

Tyson shrugs, “What you do is your business.”

The elevator arrives and once the doors close, “So Josty, why didn’t you pick up?”

“Just not feeling it tonight,” Tyson lies.

“That’s cool. Just so you know I’m not pressuring you,” Andre assures.

“Thanks bud,” Tyson says as the elevator arrives at their floor.

Tyson walks up to Andre’s hookup for the night, “Hurt him and I’ll kill you, okay?”

“Nice introduction,” Andre’s caller stands without looking intimidated.

“Relax Josty, Matt is a guy I hookup with when I’m in Chicago. He’s nice and discreet,” Andre confesses.

Tyson looks into Andre’s eyes, “Is he your boyfriend?”

Andre shakes his head, “No just a regular hookup.” Andre waves his keycard at the lock, “Matt, go on in, make yourself comfortable. I’ll be in there in a minute.”

Matt walks silently through the door and it clicks shut. Andre whispers in Tyson’s ear, “What’s going on with you, Josty?”

“I’m just protecting a friend,” Tyson answers confidently.

“Okay,” Andre sighs, “just don’t make it a regular habit.”

“Deal.” Tyson salutes and walks toward his room.

Andre joins Matt in his hotel room for a drink and to be pounded into next week.

**

Thanksgiving is an exciting time for the American players and shockingly Gabe, but Andre has still not properly celebrated the holiday since he spent his time with the foreign players on the Caps. When the invite to Gabe’s party was left in his stall he immediately jumped at the opportunity to attend.

Sitting in the locker room after the Edmonton game, Andre is looking forward to the dinner that he would enjoy the following day. That is until Josty pads over to him.

Tyson is grinning broadly and claps a hand on Andre’s shoulder, “You going to Gabe’s tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Andre answers nervously, “you?”

“I am, I was just thinking,” Tyson mentions.

“Don’t hurt yourself,” Andre kids.

“No laughing,” Tyson lightly punches Andre’s shoulder then speed talks, “I think, we should carpool.”

Andre gives off a confused look, “I’m sorry?”

“I think we should carpool,” Tyson says more confidently.

Andre smiles, “Pick you up at 3?”

“Sounds good,” Tyson replies. He stands up with a cheesy grin on his face and struts back to his stall, looking back at Andre.

It’s the first time Andre feels butterflies in his stomach.

The butterflies come back the following day when he picks up Tyson to head over to Gabe’s. Andre is trying to concentrate on his driving, but he can feel Tyson’s gaze.

“So what does Gabe usually serve at these things?” Andre asks, trying to make small talk.

“He has the traditional American foods. Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, veggies, salad, and then sometimes he adds some Swedish stuff too for the international guys,” Tyson lists happily, licking his lips at the feast to come.

The small talk continues about the traditions of Thanksgiving and how Gabe has done this party every year. 

It’s a small affair, about a dozen players and a few significant others showed up. Gabe is passing around his daughter. When she is offered to Andre, he holds her, Tyson snaps a pic with his phone and posts it on Instagram. The internet loses its shit in about 10 minutes.

Tyson shows him one of the comments. “Someone should get him a kid,” it reads. 

Andre blushes and it makes Tyson grin. “Let’s go get a seat, Gabe says dinner is ready,”

Andre sits down next to Tyson. Tyson nudges the chair closer until their hips almost touch. Andre can feel the nerves buzzing through his body.

The ride home is equally awkward. “So do you want to come over and play some MarioKart?” Andre offers to Tyson. If Andre’s lucky, he’ll get some Josty for dessert.

Tyson instantly tenses, “Um, if it’s okay, I’d just like to head home. That awesome dinner has made me sleepy.”

“Raincheck?”

“Sounds good,” Tyson sighs.

Andre drops Tyson off at his condo and heads back to his place. It’s only a five minute drive, the whole of spent thinking, “What have I gotten wrong?”

**

Colorado finds itself in the lucky position of being home on New Year’s Eve and having New Year’s Day off. No sooner did Andre plop down on the couch after coming home, there’s a knock on his door. “Who the fuck is visiting this late,” Andre mutters.

He looks through the peep hole and sees Tyson there with a big grin on his face and a bottle of champagne in his arm. Andre chuckles at his friend’s look.

“Happy New Year!” Tyson yells and places an arm around Andre.

“Josty, are you drunk?”

“Nah, I just thought as friends we should spend New Year’s Eve together,” Tyson says. It isn’t a lie, simply a half-truth. If Tyson were honest with himself, Andre is shockingly attractive. His problem is that he doesn’t want to tell Andre his secret just yet.

Andre looks back with curiosity, “We’ll save the champagne for midnight. D’ya want a beer?”

“I’d love one, thanks,” Tyson answers.

Andre invites him to have a seat on the couch. He had put the ball drop on DVR and timed the recording so that the ball drop would happen at midnight Denver time. He grabs 2 bottles of beer from the fridge, opens them, and plops down on the sofa opposite Tyson. They clink bottles, Tyson slides over a bit.

The change in mood from Tyson has changed over the last couple of months and has left Andre a little confused. Tyson is becoming a bit protective, a bit cuddlier, and on a couple of occasions within a breath of a kiss. Just as sudden as the feelings of a possible relationship start, Tyson goes stone cold just like he had at Thanksgiving. So this lack of proximity amplifies those mixed messages.

As the countdown to midnight begins Andre opens the champagne and pours 2 glasses, handing one to Tyson. “Five, four, three, two, one, HAPPY NEW YEAR!” they shout in unison.

Tyson closes the distance holding up his glass, “to a prosperous 2020.” They clink glasses and Tyson slowly closes the distance between them until Andre could feel Tyson’s breath. Just before their lips meet, Tyson kisses Andre’s cheek. “Happy new year my friend,” Tyson says flatly.

Tyson chugs down the champagne, “See you on the ice tomorrow.” And with that last sentiment, he’s gone leaving Andre just as confused as he was about his friend. Is he or isn’t he interested?

**

“Burky have a question for ya,” Tyson shouts from across the room. “I just texted it to you.”

Andre sits in his stall after slipping on his red boxer briefs. He pulls his phone out of his coat pocket and reads the text.

_ “I know tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. I was thinking that if you didn’t have a date, you and I could have a Singles Awareness Day Dinner. You game?” _

Andre stares at the text. “Catch me on the way out,” Andre texts back. Tyson’s phone issues a muffled chime from Tyson’s suit pocket.

Andre sits in the players reception area at one of the tables, sipping at a bottle of Gatorade from the fridge. His pulse is racing and his nerves are buzzing. He’s still not sure what game Tyson is playing.

Tyson comes out of the locker room and takes a seat next to Andre, “So about that dinner invite?”

“Sounds cool,” Andre starts, “I have one question though. What are you doing?”

“I don’t understand, what do you mean Burky?”

“Look, I left Washington because I got burned by a friend I fell for. I begged to be traded. So I’ll ask again, what are you doing with me Josty?”

“I’m making a real good friend,” Tyson replies.

“Are you sure that’s all you’re doing, Tyson. I don’t know, but I feel like I’m getting mixed messages that you want more. Then there are times you want less.”

“Burky, I really want to become close friends to you.”

“Then I’ll do dinner tomorrow for singles awareness day,” Andre laughs.

Tyson will accept this little win toward building a stronger bond.

**

Andre is sitting on a plane on March 13 that is bound for Washington to pick up Nicklas Backstrom then on to Malmo. The season had been cut short as a result of the pandemic which voids his work permit as it would during the off-season. Andre would have rather stayed in Colorado and golf, but he couldn’t get a tourist visa for the summer.

He arrives home in Malmo and has dinner with his family, then he leaves for the family cottage an hour north of town for some time alone. He really needed time to think. He’s a free agent again this year, and he likes Josty, but he doesn’t want to get involved if he can avoid it.

About 5 hours after he got to the cabin, Andre gets a text.

_ “Landed in Copenhagen, can you come get me. I need to explain.” _

Andre smiles, it’s from Jost. “Be there in an hour,” he replies.

He drives the hour back to Malmo and crosses the bridge into Denmark. He’s lucky they haven’t closed the borders in the EU. 

Tyson opens the door to Andre’s BMW, “So what the fuck are you doing here Josty?”

“I couldn’t let you leave Colorado without you knowing something. Do you have somewhere private we can go to talk?”

“Yeah, I’m using my parent’s cabin to stay fit and quarantine,” Andre mentions.

Andre is pretty sure that he breaks a few traffic laws to get back to the cabin in the woods. Andre chucks Tyson a bottle of water and offers him a place on the couch.

“So I told you last month, I wanted to become close friends with you,” Tyson starts.

“Yeah, I still have my suspicions that there was more to that though. I didn’t read that wrong, did I Josty?”

“No you didn’t. I don’t tell everyone this. I’m demisexual. Do you know what that is?”

Andre’s mouth gapes open and he’s left speechless.

“It’s okay if you don’t know, not everyone understands it. I don’t develop sexual feelings with someone unless I have a close friendship with them. I really wanted to tell you that I was attracted to you and wanted a relationship. I guess when I saw that guy in Chicago, I thought your appetite for sex would get in the way and I didn’t want that to mess up what I was building with you.”

“Wow!” Andre searches for words, “that’s a lot to digest. You hide away this entirely different part to yourself all because you’re afraid that someone might get close to you! You’re afraid that someone might just care about you more than you think you deserve. I like you Josty, that’s why I came out to you so easily. I really need to go think for a bit, I’m going to go take a walk.”

With that Andre gets up and walks out the door and into the woods. This place has always been his sanctuary to clear his mind. He climbs up into one of the sturdier pine trees and sits on a branch unsure of what to do with the information he was just given.

“ANDRE,” Tyson yells into the forest.

Tyson repeats his call, closer this time to Andre’s hideaway.

Tyson is right under Andre when he calls again.

“You found me,” Andre calls down. Tyson jumps.

Tyson looks up, “Fucking hell dude, you scared the shit out of me.”

Tyson digs out the sad eyes, “Will you come down and talk to me?”

“Catch,” Andre jumps down into Tyson’s arms.

“I kind of had a feeling you were into me. I’m glad you told me what’s going on. So did you come all the way to Sweden, just for sex?”

“No,” Tyson starts, “I came here because I fell in love with you. And since I can’t go home any time soon because of lockdowns, I have a feeling there’ll be a lot of love we get to develop. First though, you’ll need to feed me. Fuck me for flying commercial with none of those tiny meals.”

**Author's Note:**

> So I didn't use the exact prompt. Sue me, you can have my student loan debt.


End file.
